


Persuading, Pretending

by Laramie



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Light BDSM, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2015-05-14
Packaged: 2018-03-30 12:44:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3937249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laramie/pseuds/Laramie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thomas (somewhat reluctantly) makes an agreement.</p><p>Heed the warnings at the beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Persuading, Pretending

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: Although this story is NOT about sexual assault/non-con, if you are triggered by such things I suggest you either skip this story or read the summary in the end notes to determine whether you want to read.
> 
> My writing just seems to be getting progressively smuttier, idek. But this is more about my obsession with proper communication than anything else, to be honest. It's not /really/ that explicit.

Thomas had never been terribly keen on the idea, Jimmy knew. They tried it four times in total, but it had taken some persuading.

"You did it with that blasted _Duke_ ," Jimmy pointed out, his voice a hairs'-breadth from a snarl, the day after he had floated the idea and Thomas had shot it down.

"That's _different_ ," Thomas hissed back, checking that there was no one to hear. "It was complete _fantasy_. I was so far below him it was almost funny."

Jimmy felt his heart clench at the notion of Thomas thinking himself lesser; and he left to take the chicken upstairs.

By the evening, he had had time to calm down, and when he let himself quietly into Thomas's bedroom he apologised immediately.

"I shouldn't use him against you," he acknowledged as he crossed the room. "I just think it would be good. I like it when you're all… you know." He sat up close to Thomas against the pillows on his bed.

"All what?" Thomas asked, smirking, his eyes bright with mischief.

"All…" Jimmy waved at his face, his general disposition. "Smug and… sure of yourself."

Thomas turned, leaning a hand either side of Jimmy to bracket his head and pressing a kiss against his mouth. "I'm only smug because I've got something to be smug about."

"See," Jimmy countered, a little breathlessly. "It's… it's… sexy. And it wouldn't even be that different to how we are already."

Thomas looked at him seriously, the grey in his eyes diminished by the way his pupils had dilated in the dim light. "You really want this," he said flatly.

"Yes."

He held Thomas's gaze for a little longer, wishing he could see inside his lover's brain. "Very well," Thomas said at last. "For you, my love. Only for you. Tomorrow, yes?"

"Yes," Jimmy breathed.

Thomas turfed him out after that, though Jimmy had been yearning for more, but when Thomas said sternly: "Who's in charge?" Jimmy realised that the game had begun. He grinned, gave Thomas a quick kiss, and did as he was bid. He considered, for a moment, relieving his frustration on his own, but he couldn't bear to lose the lovely, trembly anticipation.

The next day, Thomas kept _looking_ at him, widening his eyes in a quick, almost imperceptible movement. Preoccupied by his own lust, Jimmy tripped over a raised flagstone in the kitchen and sent the pans and their stand crashing to the floor. The noise was horrendous. He lay cringing on the floor until his ears had stopped ringing, and when he got to his feet he saw that the noise had brought Thomas into the room.

Jimmy's blush was instant.

Thomas swept his gaze over the scene and turned his eyes to Jimmy, who was red-faced and bashful. "Aren't you a clod, Jimmy," he said in an authoritative voice.

"Yes, Mr Barrow," Jimmy said, held in place by Thomas's sharp eyes. "I'm a clod."

God, he thought, if only you knew what you were doing to me.

Then he realised that Thomas _did_ know what he was doing to Jimmy, he knew _exactly_ what he was doing, and that only made it better.

"You should be more careful," Thomas said that night, as he pinned Jimmy's wrists. "Now you'd better make it up to me."

It was as good as Jimmy had imagined - he gasped at Thomas's touch - he closed his eyes as Thomas whispered against his stomach - "No, no, Thomas," he murmured, indulging in the fantasy -

But Thomas had stopped, and Jimmy opened his eyes to see Thomas's anxious expression just inches away from him. "Are you all right?"

Jimmy blinked in surprise. "Yeah." His voice was rough. "Why have you stopped?"

Thomas stared at him. "It couldn't be because you said _no_?"

"That was just - just, part of it," Jimmy explained, putting a hand on Thomas's shoulder.

Thomas lay to the side of him and pressed their foreheads together.

"We should have a word, if you're going to do that," he said after a moment, without moving. "Something you'd never usually say. So I know when you really, actually want to stop."

Jimmy thought about it. "Carson? I'm not going to want to say that in the middle of it."

Thomas shuddered. "Ugh. I'll think he's coming in the door."

"Pineapple?"

"Perfect," Thomas said, smiling.

The next time, as a result, went much more smoothly, though Thomas never quite lost a pinch of anxiety about his face - but even he obviously enjoyed the time after that, a few weeks later.

The fourth time, Thomas had him pressed against the bed. They had had an argument that day, about Jimmy leaving his shirts in Thomas's wardrobe ( _what if someone sees? - But it's like I live with you - But we live in this reality Jimmy and you can't leave your stuff in here -_ ) and Jimmy wanted to feel pushed, he wanted all of Thomas's focus on him.

"If someone saw you now," Thomas was growling against his thigh, still fully dressed while Jimmy was naked. "All wanting for me. Think what they'd say."

Abruptly, the fun drained out of it; Jimmy could feel his heartbeat in his throat and his temples. Thomas's fingers were too tight around his wrists, he couldn't move -

"I could ruin you an' I wouldn't even give you a second thought."

He couldn't breathe - "Thomas -"

"That's Mr Barrow," Thomas said, and Jimmy couldn't tell any more if the stern gaze was real or not.

Tears gathered behind his eyes. "Thomas - you don't mean it -"

"If I didn't mean it I wouldn't say it." His fingers tightened around Jimmy's wrists.

"No please - I don't - Thomas pineapple - please -"

Thomas released him immediately, looking alarmed. He crawled up the bed as Jimmy covered his face with his hands.

"You don't mean it," Jimmy sobbed, curling into Thomas's body, hiding his face against Thomas's chest.

He felt Thomas's strong hands cradle his head and wrap around his back. "Of course I don't mean it, my love. Of course I don't mean it. I love you more than anything, I promise."

Jimmy grasped blindly at Thomas's shoulder, trying to pull him impossibly closer. His head slotted under Thomas's chin.

"I'll never let anything bad happen to you," Thomas went on. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I promise."

Jimmy cried until his tears were spent, with only his jumping chest remaining. "I - love you - too," he said, interrupted by involuntary gasps, as Thomas stroked his hair gently.

When Jimmy had calmed down, Thomas said firmly: "I don't ever want to do that ever again."

"That's fine," Jimmy agreed immediately, moving his head far enough on the pillow to look at Thomas without his eyes crossing. He wasn't eager to repeat the experience either. "I-I'm sorry I made you do it."

"Don't worry," Thomas said softly, holding his face and stroking his cheek with a thumb. "I'm glad you could ask. An' I wanted to make you happy. But I don't think we're really cut out for this."

Jimmy managed to curl his lips into a smile. "Agreed."

"I love you. I didn't mean what I said. I was making it up."

Jimmy nodded and put his hand over Thomas's. "I know. I know that. I love you."

True to their word, the furthest they went after that was Thomas biting marks into Jimmy's collarbone, and whispering " _You're mine_ ," against his flushed skin.

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilery summary: Jimmy asks Thomas to be dominating in the bedroom. Thomas agrees a little reluctantly. They set up a safeword and have some fun but in the midst of one encounter Jimmy gets overwhelmed and safewords out. Thomas stops immediately and is caring and they agree not to try it again.
> 
> This came out of a random thought of "You know what you never see? Characters who actually safeword out and nothing goes on to happen."


End file.
